Signal device for automobiles



Sept. 9 1924. 1,507,617

J. E. MOWILLIAM SIGNAL DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Aug. 31. 1923Patented Sept. 9, 1924.

t a I, 7 1,507,621

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR, AU 'IQMOEBILES.

I uipplication filed-,August 31;: 1923, .;Seria 1 No, 560,449. I

T 0 all whom it may. concern i Y Be it known: that -I,"JAMns E. MoWInIA1\I f a citizen of the Unitedustates residing at and State ofMassachusetts, have; inventeda new andv useful.Signal..Devicewfonrakutomobiles, of which the followingis ar specification. This invention relates I to a device to be carried by anautomobilefor in ac: curate manner indicating to anaa-pproach ing carhaving a head-light the; position the automobile on .which;'thesignal ismounted. i

The principal objects of the invention are to provide for accomplishingthis result in the simplest possible way without the addition of anymore lights than are ordinarily used, or the modification of those nowemployed and practically without the employment of additional mechanismof any kind; and to provide a device which will be readily observableunder ordinary conditions now existing on the road. Other objects andadvantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l isa front view of an automobile wind shield with one embodiment of thisinvention applied thereto, showing it as it how the signal looks to acar approaching from behind, and i Fig. 3 is a sectional View on theline 3-3 of Fig. 1.

It is well known that every automobile carries strong headlights whichenable the driver to see objects in front much better than has ever beenthe case heretofore, and that these are required inv practically allStates. I take advantage of that fact to provide a. signal device whichis lighted up, not by the'lights on the car that carries it, but by thelights on the car approaching either in front or from the rear,especially in front.

For this purpose I apply a wind shield 10 to the front of the car if itis a closed car, or use the side wind shield 11 such as is well known atthe present time. By means of any convenient supporting means 12 it islocated at an angle as shown in Fig. 3 in the v u ter. adaptede a 11till s mtio sm d..torm datra areas 13 colored in such away-gas tovindi.it tl fil d n er as for. samp e e .01; g I

a ea: asi n d .a ed inisF g-kfi so t-Ls st et a i romiv iqu di ection in7 up rthe red parts. .Themed an a e e e; only;tha eateapott la- 1 be;eait a a e itemeb le peapeaa eiestt he. from 110 na teafivhe the car onwhich th'e sign is carried ismovmg forward, backward, or standing still,

make: the bodies ofthesei -areaacona :will light up this sign by meansof its headllghts and throw it out in bold relief so that j the driverwillnot fail to see it. Furthermore, even pedestrians in crossing willalways see'it if any car is approaching from the front.

In order that the sign may be seen easily from the rear I prefer toprovide block letters 14 on the rear instead of rounding them as on thefront. They are in registration with the colored convex areas in front.They project and will not need any extra red or green surface, becauseof the surfaces on the front side.

light up this rear surface and .show the Now a car approaching from therear will danger signal. The fact that the letterin v of the words isreversed will be of small consequence. This lighting from the rear willshow that there is a car in front and show where it is, because as soonas these are known everybody will understand that they are on theleft-hand side shield. The appearance of the sign will be so diflerentfrom its appearance in front that nobody will fail to know which way thecar 1s headed and where it is lOcatGCl. Furthermore, in case of lightbeing shown on this shield both from the front and rear this will notdiminish the distinctness of the sign I in front, and not materiallydiminish the vice is provided of very great importance at night. It isnot intended to do away with all other safety devices, but is anadditional precaution. It is not unsightly in the day time and involvesno extra weight on the car. I

Although I have illustrated and described only a single form of theinvention I am aware of the fact that many modifications can be madetherein by any person skilled in the art without departing from thescope thereof as expressed in the claims. There fore, I do not wish tobe limited to the particular form shown and described, but what I doclaim is 1. As an article of manufacture, a danger signal for anautomobile, consisting of a side wind shield of light transmitting glasshaving a single device on the front consisting of projecting charactersprovided with front surfaces of contrasting color showing the presenceof the automobile to any one approaching without preventing the passageof light through other parts of the wind shield and having registeringprojecting characters on the back surface.

2. As an article of manufacture, a danger signal for an automobile,consisting of a side wind shield of transparent plate glass having asignal device on the front consisting of. projecting characters providedwith front convex colored light transmitting surfaces for the purposedescribed.

3. As an article of manufacture, a danger signal for an automobile,consisting of a side wind shield of transparent plate glass having asingle device on the front consisting of projecting characters providedwith front convex surfaces of contrasting color for the purposedescribed, and having on the rear uncolored characters in. block formregistering with those on the. front for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

JAMES E. lSIolVILLIAM.

